High-Speed Rail in the US - The Intention to Use and Mode Choice Behavior

Abstract

High-speed rail (HSR) has become a popular mode for domestic travel, offering fast, comfortable, and convenient travel experience valued by travelers. While many countries have developed HSR to connect major cities, the United States lags other countries in HSR development. The situation is expected to change given the changing mode preference in the US especially for youth and senior populations, the new normality for travel in the postpandemic era, and more importantly, the US government’s re-focus on HSR, which can reshape the transportation in the domestic market. The re-balance in the transportation system calls for in-depth research of HSR in the US. The literature in this area, however, is limited particularly regarding the behavioral intention of American travelers toward HSR. This study aims to fill this important gap by investigating (1) passengers’ choice among car, air, and HSR for domestic travel in the US and (2) key determinants of American passengers’ intention to use HSR and how they differ from what have been observed in other countries. A new theoretical framework will be proposed based on the theory of planned behavior and the goal framing theory. Constructs validated in previous studies will be used for model development. This study will develop a structured questionnaire to collect data via Amazon® Mechanical Turk® (MTurk). By providing empirical evidence from the lens of passenger intention and behavior, this study can make theoretical and practical contributions to the use of HSR in the US. 

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